Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 495

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 495
The Imperial Palace Draws Near
The summit of a mountain not far away. The altitude was dizzying, as if clouds lay beneath my feet.
The Mages selected a suitable flat area and spread out a mat, then carefully unpacked the contents of their picnic basket. Sandwiches, delicate dishes and teacups, parasols, and more.
While the Mages carefully steeped the tea leaves, I settled into a comfortable spot and savored the breeze. The view opened wide before me—refreshing and beautiful. Even if the north was chaotic with rifts, Bariel would still be Bariel.
“Master Ian, please have some warm tea. How is your body feeling? Is the recovery potion working?”
“Yes, it seems to be.”
“Though there isn’t much difference, is there? It’s more pronounced when consumed frequently. Shall I get you a sandwich as well?”
“No, that’s fine. I already ate a lot this morning.”
“Still, please have something. Or perhaps a candy…?”
The Mage’s eyes gleamed with careful persuasion. The intent was so earnest—please, just one thing—that I smiled and accepted the candy. It had a sweet strawberry flavor.
As I rolled the candy inside my cheek and picked up the telescope, the Mages lowered their bodies and pointed out the direction. My head turned slowly, following the tip of their finger.
“Over there, do you see the tree with particularly green leaves?”
“The color is distinctive, so it’s easy to spot.”
“That’s why we chose it. Captain Heil and the youngsters should be preparing based on that as their landmark.”
In the distance, I could see Heil and the Mages. It seemed they had brought Berik to the Atan Clan’s base and returned. Upon spotting me, they waved their hands broadly in greeting. I responded in kind, waving my hand gently.
“By the way, Master Ian. Do you think Berik will handle it well?”
“He’s not just anyone—it’s Berik, so I’m worried about variables. That man is completely unpredictable.”
“It’s fine. I gave him a very suitable task, so he’ll manage. Berik is… well, even if his methods are messy, he generally completes the mission regardless.”
Unexpected problems don’t arise because of Berik—they happen because they were always going to happen anyway. Like accidents, in a sense.
And even if something like that occurs, what of it? It can be handled. It’s entirely possible, and I’m confident. That’s what I’ve been doing all along.
“Ah? Captain Heil sent a signal.”
At the Mage’s murmur, I looked through the telescope again. Heil was stretching his arm wide, sending a silent signal. From his position, the Atan Clan’s base seemed visible, but from this angle, it wasn’t.
BOOM!
CRASH!
Followed by a faint explosion sound.
It’s begun. I concentrated with the candy filling my cheek, observing the situation carefully. The ground trembled, and the sound of the mountain resonating with explosions continued.
CRACKLE-BOOM!
BOOM!
“Damn, is Berik okay?”
“The sound is vicious, really vicious. I just told him to keep the fighting rough.”
“With his personality, is that even possible? Looks like he’s really gone all out.”
The Mages waited anxiously for Berik to appear. And shortly after.
“GWAHAHAHA!”
WHOOOOSH!
Berik’s hearty laughter rang out from somewhere.
The Mages startled and turned their heads, only to see Berik burst out from the bushes in a completely different direction than where they’d been watching.
“Catch me if you can, you idiots!”
He had come out in an entirely different place, not the path agreed upon with Heil.
The Mages slapped their foreheads in exasperation, and Heil urgently led his Subordinates rushing toward Berik.
Berik found something so amusing that he slid down the slope covered in grass and vegetation. The sound of pursuit followed immediately after.
“Catch that bastard!”
“Kill him, beat him down!”
“Kyaaaah!”
Crash!
Dozens of Warriors burst from the brush in pursuit of Berik. They were Atan Clan members. Leading them was Beno, Efdiram’s right hand. He released his mana and soared into the air like a whirlwind.
“…!”
Berik, who had been running with his back exposed, sensed the presence and immediately twisted his body. The two swords clashed violently against each other.
Boom!
Another powerful explosion erupted. The Mages covered their faces with their sleeves, while I gently lowered my parasol to block the shockwave.
“So that’s why you’re such a reckless Subordinate—your eyes must be broken.”
“I’ve never liked you from the start.”
“Huh? That’s my line! Damn, we actually have something in common!”
Clang! Clang!
Zing! Boom!
The aftermath of their rapid exchanges was tremendous. The earth trembled from the sheer force, yet their speed was almost impossible to follow with the naked eye. I watched the display with a satisfied smile.
“It seems Berik hasn’t neglected his training.”
“You, damn brat—you little shit!”
Efdiram’s roar. Half of her voluminous, coarse hair had been torn away as if burned by fire. Fury was evident on her panting face.
Regardless, Berik blocked Beno while glancing sideways at Efdiram.
“The balance is off, isn’t it? Want me to trim the other side too?”
“I’ll kill you! For real!”
“Eek? Scary—”
Zing! Zing!
Efdiram opened her golden eyes. Leaves gathered around her in a steady current of mana, swirling in her vicinity.
Beno, understanding her intent, withdrew his sword and stepped back from Berik. It was time to tear things apart.
「Fang Rend」.
“You dog bastard!”
The wind transformed into the shape of wolves and rushed toward Berik, their jaws wide open, ready to shred their prey in one bite.
Berik gripped his sword and took a stance to face the incoming magical constructs. Just as the wolves leaped into the air—
Crash!
Heil rushed in and severed their necks. The formless wind dissipated, leaving only minor scratches on Heil’s cheek. The Mages who followed Heil each took care of one wolf themselves.
“Wow, you’re late. Really late. I almost got torn to shreds.”
“Is this seriously a joke?”
You came from a different direction! At Berik’s grumbling, the furious Mages simultaneously grabbed him by the collar and shook him.
The Atan Clan watched this absurd scene unfold. Efdiram, brushing aside her half-severed hair, let out an exasperated laugh.
“What are you all doing right now?”
Can someone explain what’s actually happening here?
Then Heil took a cigarette from his mouth and pulled out a small mana stone. It was a low-grade mana stone with recording capabilities.
“The Atan Clan attacked the Imperial Guards, so the Mage Division stationed nearby came to support. Lower your weapons and surrender. Just yesterday you said you were leaving Bariel, Efdiram.”
“Who attacked whom? That bastard started it first!”
“They said they’d side with Burgos instead of Bariel, so yes, I struck first with the intention of cutting them all down. They’re conspiring with Burgos to devour Bariel. If I just sat back and did nothing after hearing that, what? Does that even make sense?”
As Berik gestured for them to record everything and bring a mana stone, Efdiram’s eyebrows rose sharply. Something about this situation felt wrong. Could it be that Bariel had orchestrated this entire scenario to suppress the Atan Clan?
“Lady Efdiram, what should we do?”
“Quiet. I don’t know what those bastards are scheming.”
They might be using the conflict as a pretext for genocide. But that would be wasteful of the Imperial Guard Mages who would fall in battle, and more importantly, there was the matter of the rift lurking nearby.
And that wasn’t all. The Atan Clan was a manifestation race. Even if they were annihilated now, eventually another generation would emerge into the world as time passed.
‘It’s merely short-term gain. The Atan Clan won’t disappear, so when the next generation appears someday, they’ll begin their history steeped in deep animosity.’
It wasn’t a choice befitting the nation. It wasn’t something Bariel would do. Efdiram gestured for the Atan Clan to fall back, then looked toward Heil.
“Are you suggesting we have a proper fight?”
“You’re not listening to reason. I told you to discard your weapons and surrender. I won’t tolerate any further disturbance. The rift won’t, and neither will we.”
The implication was that if they stopped here, everything would be forgotten.
Efdiram narrowed her eyes and nodded to her subordinates. They all remained vigilant while moving their weapons from their hands to their waists.
“It wasn’t pleasant to meet you. Blockhead. Go to Burgos.”
“Go to Burgos?”
“Yeah, get lost.”
Go to Burgos.
The moment Efdiram heard those words, her mind snapped into focus. These bastards—if the Atan Clan entered Burgos, they’d follow under the guise of pursuing enemy forces.
Beno, who had also caught on, whispered to Efdiram.
“Should we go into Burgos? It seems cleaner to tie up loose ends before we enter.”
“There’s only one way to tie things up. Either Bariel or we have to abandon the rift.”
“Then let’s cut them down right here.”
If problems would arise anyway after going to Burgos, fighting here wasn’t a bad option either. Cut down Bariel’s forces, activate the rift as a bonus, then leave Bariel behind.
Right now, there were only three Mages and one Mage Knight before them. It would be somewhat difficult, but it seemed possible.
But…
‘Is that really all of them?’
What about other forces? Efdiram’s eyes drifted as she looked around, and she easily spotted a group watching them from a distance. By their numbers, it appeared all the barrier Mages had gathered.
“We’re at a disadvantage.”
“What do we do then?”
“We cross into Burgos first and find a way. Rutherford—”
The moment Efdiram mentioned Rutherford’s name, she spotted a single umbrella among the Mages. Though the face was hidden, she could sense it instinctively. If he had returned, then ‘he’ must have returned as well.
The prodigiously talented young Mage and guide of all Mages—Ian Hielo.
“Ha.”
She’d walked right into the trap. No wonder it felt like a mad dog moving according to a predetermined script. Efdiram glared at Berik and growled.
“Your master is quite impressive. Isn’t he?”
“I’m not sure what you mean, but our master has always been impressive.”
“Next time we meet, I’ll cut your head off the same way.”
Crack.
Berik politely raised his middle finger in greeting.
Efdiram ordered a retreat, and the Atan Clan backed away while keeping their eyes on the Mages until their presence completely vanished. As their aura disappeared entirely, the Mages exhaled in relief and relaxed their guard.
“Ian, the Atan Clan has vanished. I’ll follow their trail immediately.”
“Just confirm that Bariel leaves.”
“Yes, understood. But Efdiram kept glancing this way—do you think she’s recognized you?”
Probably. The vibrant parasol was so out of place with the situation that anyone would find it suspicious. I folded the parasol and smiled reassuringly.
“It’s natural that she’d think of my return when Rutherford came back. But what matters now is that she hasn’t seen me directly.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I can suspect, but I cannot confirm.”
“Hmm, I’m not quite following.”
“You’ll understand soon. Go scout quickly and return.”
Pat, pat.
I tapped the Mage on the back and checked my watch. It was too soon for now, but I thought I could attempt to open a portal this evening or early tomorrow morning.
“My mana has returned.”
“Oh, yes yes! I’ll be back in a flash!”
Whoosh!
The Mages, understanding my meaning, soared joyfully into the sky and cut across the heavens toward where the Atan Clan had disappeared. I savored my properly cooled tea and let out a satisfied hum.
“Mm.”
“Iaaaan!”
Then came Berik’s booming voice. The Mages, begging him to shut up, clamped their hands over his mouth and lifted him skyward by his collar.
Berik dangled his limbs playfully, his face brimming with pride.
“Ian! I did well, didn’t I?”
“You did. Did you take many hits?”
“No! Once I got going, I realized I wasn’t getting hit much, so I ended up pounding them myself.”
“Well done.”
At my brief but certain praise, Berik burst into a wide grin.
“Everyone worked hard.”
“Not at all. We didn’t do much, really.”
“That’s right! I did it all! Kahahaha!”
“Now then—”
I rose from my seat and gazed toward where the barrier stood. A cool breeze gently brushed through my hair.
“Let’s head to the Imperial Palace.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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